וַיְהִי דְבַר־ ה' אֵלַי לֵאמֹר

The word of the Lord was with me, saying:

בֶּן־אָדָם אֱמֹר לִנְגִיד צֹר כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים יַעַן גָּבַהּ לִבְּךָ וַתֹּאמֶר אֵל אָנִי מוֹשַׁב אֱלֹהִים יָשַׁבְתִּי בְּלֵב יַמִּים וְאַתָּה אָדָם וְלֹא־אֵל וַתִּתֵּן לִבְּךָ כְּלֵב אֱלֹהִים

Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre: So said the Lord God: Because your heart became haughty and you said: I am a god, all-powerful, I have sat on the divine seat, in an exalted and secluded place in the heart of the seas; but you are a man and not a god, and you set your heart like the heart of a god in your pretentiousness. The king of Tyre thought that no one could harm him and that the entire world was within his grasp and that he was so powerful that he was a god rather than a mortal man. The king of Tyre was an exceptional figure. He controlled the greatest economic powerhouse in the world, and unlike other great kings at the time, he was not limited in any manner. He sat in splendid isolation and with a feeling of absolute security.

הִנֵּה חָכָם אַתָּה מִדָּנִיֵּאל כָּל־סָתוּם לֹא עֲמָמוּךָ

Behold, you suppose that you are wiser than Daniel, who was renowned in Babylonia for his wisdom. This might be referring to the protagonist of the book of Daniel, or to an earlier figure (see commentary on 14:14). They did not conceal any mystery from you. The king of Tyre believed that everything was revealed before him and was clear to him. It can be assumed that he was better educated than other kings and that he apparently considered himself the wisest of men who knows all, a delusion often entertained even in contemporary times by some wealthy individuals.

בְּחָכְמָתְךָ וּבִתְבוּנָתְךָ עָשִׂיתָ לְּךָ חָיִל וַתַּעַשׂ זָהָב וָכֶסֶף בְּאוֹצְרוֹתֶיךָ

Through your wisdom and through your understanding you have achieved prosperity for yourself, and you have amassed gold and silver in your treasuries.

בְּרֹב חָכְמָתְךָ בִּרְכֻלָּתְךָ הִרְבִּיתָ חֵילֶךָ וַיִּגְבַּהּ לְבָבְךָ בְּחֵילֶךָ

Through your abundant wisdom in your trading, your commercial skills, you increased your might, and with your might, your heart became haughty.

לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים יַעַן תִּתְּךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ כְּלֵב אֱלֹהִים

Therefore, so said the Lord God: Because you set your heart as the heart of a god,

לָכֵן הִנְנִי מֵבִיא עָלֶיךָ זָרִים עָרִיצֵי גּוֹיִם וְהֵרִיקוּ חַרְבוֹתָם עַל־יְפִי חָכְמָתֶךָ וְחִלְּלוּ יִפְעָתֶךָ

therefore, behold, I am bringing strangers upon you, the ruthless of the nations, cruel people who will have no consideration for the lofty status and greatness that you ascribe to yourself, and they will draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, and they will defile your brilliance.

לַשַּׁחַת יוֹרִדוּךָ וָמַתָּה מְמוֹתֵי חָלָל בְּלֵב יַמִּים

They will take you down to the grave, and you will die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas, which you considered your safest place.

הֶאָמֹר תֹּאמַר אֱלֹהִים אָנִי לִפְנֵי הֹרְגֶךָ וְאַתָּה אָדָם וְלֹא־אֵל בְּיַד מְחַלְלֶיךָ

Will you say: I am a god, before your killer, and therefore I cannot be harmed? But you are a person and not a god in the hand of your slayer.

מוֹתֵי עֲרֵלִים תָּמוּת בְּיַד זָרִים כִּי אֲנִי דִבַּרְתִּי נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים

You shall die the shameful death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers, for I have spoken – the utterance of the Lord God.

וַיְהִי דְבַר־ה' אֵלַי לֵאמֹר

Once again, a prophecy of downfall is followed by a lamentation. Although the king of Tyre was not a righteous man, in light of his impressive achievements his death is considered like a destruction of part of the world. The word of the Lord was with me, saying:

בֶּן־אָדָם שָׂא קִינָה עַל־מֶלֶךְ צוֹר וְאָמַרְתָּ לּוֹ כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים אַתָּה חוֹתֵם תָּכְנִית מָלֵא חָכְמָה וּכְלִיל יֹפִי

Son of man, raise a lament over the king of Tyre, as though he is already dead, and say of him: So said the Lord God: You are the epitome of perfection; alternatively, you are wise enough to perfect any design, or you carry out your plans, or you are the perfect mold. Your lifestyle and actions are perfectly executed and utilized. The prophet elaborates: You are full of wisdom, and the perfection of beauty.

בְּעֵדֶן גַּן־אֱלֹהִים הָיִיתָ כָּל־אֶבֶן יְקָרָה מְסֻכָתֶךָ אֹדֶם פִּטְדָה וְיַהֲלֹם תַּרְשִׁישׁ שׁהַם וְיָשְׁפֶה סַפִּיר נֹפֶךְ וּבָרְקַת וְזָהָב מְלֶאכֶת תֻּפֶּיךָ וּנְקָבֶיךָ בָּךְ בְּיוֹם הִבָּרַאֲךָ כּוֹנָנוּ

When you sat securely on your throne, it was as though you were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your canopy: ruby, topaz, clear quartz, beryl, onyx, chalcedony, sapphire, carbuncle, emerald, and gold; the craftsmanship of your drums and your wind instruments was in you; on the day of your creation, they, musical instruments, were prepared. It is as though musical instruments, which symbolize indulgence and wealth, were created especially for Tyre.

אַתְּ כְרוּב מִמְשַׁח הַסּוֹכֵךְ וּנְתַתִּיךָ בְּהַר־קֹדֶשׁ־אֱלֹהִים הָיִיתָ בְּתוֹךְ אַבְנֵי־אֵשׁ הִתְהַלָּכְתָּ

You were like a great shielding cherub, a lofty angel that spreads its wings and exercises authority. Some explain that this means Tyre was like fine oil. And you were as I set you, as though on the holy mountain of God; among stones of fire, perhaps heavenly bodies, you walked. The king of Tyre lived in his world like a lofty creature, as he had all he wanted, and he thought he knew everything. As stated earlier (commentary on verse 3), it can be assumed that the ruler of Tyre was more accomplished than his royal counterparts in other kingdoms. He sufficed with a limited army of mercenaries, while his reign was characterized by his wisdom and success. He owned the largest fleet in the world, and traded with all civilized countries.

תָּמִים אַתָּה בִּדְרָכֶיךָ מִיּוֹם הִבָּרְאָךְ עַד נִמְצָא עַוְלָתָה בָּךְ

You were apparently perfect in your ways, although not necessarily from a moral standpoint, from the day of your creation, until wrongdoing was found in you.

בְּרֹב רְכֻלָּתְךָ מָלוּ תוֹכְךָ חָמָס וַתֶּחֱטָא וָאֲחַלֶּלְךָ מֵהַר אֱלֹהִים וָאַבֶּדְךָ כְּרוּב הַסּוֹכֵךְ מִתּוֹךְ אַבְנֵי־אֵשׁ

Due to the abundance of your commercial trading you have become filled with villainy in your midst and have sinned. The perfect image of the ruler of Tyre was nothing more than the fruit of your commercial dealings. Ultimately, you were a successful merchant, and your behavior, motivated by commercial interests, eventually corrupted your commercial conduct. I have profaned you, I cast you from your heights of glory from being a mountain of God, and I have dismissed you from being the shielding cherub, from being among the stones of fire, precious or shiny stones.

גָּבַהּ לִבְּךָ בְּיָפְיֶךָ שִׁחַתָּ חָכְמָתְךָ עַל יִפְעָתֶךָ עַל־אֶרֶץ הִשְׁלַכְתִּיךָ לִפְנֵי מְלָכִים נְתַתִּיךָ לְרַאֲוָה בָּךְ

Your heart became haughty due to your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom because of your brilliance. Your splendor led to your pride, and your pride destroyed your wisdom. Therefore, I cast you to the ground, I put you before kings in order for them to gaze upon you and see your downfall.

מֵרֹב עֲוֹנֶיךָ בְּעֶוֶל רְכֻלָּתְךָ חִלַּלְתָּ מִקְדָּשֶׁיךָ וָאוֹצִא־אֵשׁ מִתּוֹכְךָ הִיא אֲכָלַתְךָ וָאֶתֶּנְךָ לְאֵפֶר עַל־הָאָרֶץ לְעֵינֵי כָּל־רֹאֶיךָ

Because of the abundance of your iniquities, and in the injustice of your trading, your stealing and deceit, you profaned your sanctity, and I took out a fire from your midst; it devoured you. The trade to which you dedicated all your efforts has ultimately ruined you. It has led you to believe that you are above everything and immune from all criticism, and this has led to your downfall. And I rendered you ashes upon the earth before the eyes of all who see you.

כָּל־יוֹדְעֶיךָ בָּעַמִּים שָׁמְמוּ עָלֶיךָ בַּלָּהוֹת הָיִיתָ וְאֵינְךָ עַד־עוֹלָם

All those who knew you among the peoples were astonished over you, king of Tyre. You became a horror, and you are no more, forever. The king of Tyre was a creature who inspired fear, considered above the level of the rest of humanity. Following the destruction of Tyre, he had become vulnerable, fragile, and entirely human.

וַיְהִי דְבַר־ה' אֵלַי לֵאמֹר

The word of the Lord was with me, saying:

בֶּן־אָדָם שִׂים פָּנֶיךָ אֶל־צִידוֹן וְהִנָּבֵא עָלֶיהָ

Son of man, direct your attention to Sidon, and prophesy concerning it.

וְאָמַרְתָּ כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלוֹהִים הִנְנִי עָלַיִךְ צִידוֹן וְנִכְבַּדְתִּי בְּתוֹכֵךְ וְיָדְעוּ כִּי־אֲנִי ה' בַּעֲשׂוֹתִי בָהּ שְׁפָטִים וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בָהּ

Say: So said the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, Sidon, and I will be honored in your midst, and they will know that I am the Lord when I administer punishments to it, and I will be sanctified in it. My sanctity will be recognized when I render the great city of Sidon desolate.

וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי־בָהּ דֶּבֶר וָדָם בְּחוּצוֹתֶיהָ וְנִפְלַל חָלָל בְּתוֹכָהּ בְּחֶרֶב עָלֶיהָ מִסָּבִיב וְיָדְעוּ כִּי־אֲנִי ה'

I will send against it pestilence and blood in its streets, and the slain will fall in its midst by the sword that will come upon it from all around, and they will know that I am the Lord.

וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה עוֹד לְבֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל סִלּוֹן מַמְאִיר וְקוֹץ מַכְאִב מִכֹּל סְבִיבֹתָם הַשָּׁאטִים אוֹתָם וְיָדְעוּ כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱלוֹהִים

There will no longer be from among the Sidonians a piercing brier or a painful thorn to the house of Israel among all their surroundings who spurn them. This teaches that the Sidonians used to treat Israel with contempt and a lack of consideration, and even took pleasure in their misfortunes. And they will know that I am the Lord God.

כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי ה' בְּקַבְּצִי אֶת־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן־הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר נָפֹצוּ בָם וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בָם לְעֵינֵי הַגּוֹיִם וְיָשְׁבוּ עַל־אַדְמָתָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לְעַבְדִּי לְיַעֲקֹב

Jerusalem and Tyre were constant rivals; as Jerusalem declined, Tyre flourished. The prophet declares that the day will come when the tables will be turned. So said the Lord God: When the time arrives and I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they were dispersed, I will be sanctified through them, through their revival and return to their former glory (see 36:21–24), before the eyes of the nations, and they will dwell in their land, which I gave to My servant, to Jacob.

וְיָשְׁבוּ עָלֶיהָ לָבֶטַח וּבָנוּ בָתִּים וְנָטְעוּ כְרָמִים וְיָשְׁבוּ לָבֶטַח בַּעֲשׂוֹתִי שְׁפָטִים בְּכֹל הַשָּׁאטִים אֹתָם מִסְּבִיבוֹתָם וְיָדְעוּ כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶם

They will live in it in security; they will build houses and plant vineyards, and they will live in security when I administer punishments upon all those around them who despise them, and they, Israel, will thereby know that I am the Lord their God.